250 



Original Beauty of Lines and Forms. 



6. Curved lines, formed into a figure on the radiating principle (fig. 74. a) 7 

 are handsomer than 



straight lines so con- /~~X X 74 



nected (b). 



Coroll. — Curled 

 wool or hair is hand- 

 somer than what is 

 straight; Stipa pen- 

 nata, than Juncus syl- 

 vaticus; an ear of bar- 

 ley, than an ear of 

 wheat. Groups or 

 beds of flowers form a less handsome flower-garden when merely scattered 

 over the surface (fig.73.), than when composed into a figure or figures 

 (fig. 75., the flower-garden at Dropmore). Curved walks are naturally, or 

 originally, handsomer than straight walks; so much so, that no principle is 

 so frequently carried to excess in laying out grounds. 





— 



76 







7. Quantity and variety are essential to perfect beauty. — A symmetry 



composed of equalities (fig. 76.), is less beautiful 



than a symmetry composed of inequalities^^.??.) 



Coroll. — A line 

 of flower-beds 

 consisting of a 



figure composed of various shapes and 

 sizes (fig. 78. a), will be handsomer than 

 one composed by a varied disposition of 



one single beautiful shape, even though of* different sizes (b). 



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oo 



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o 

 o 



oo 



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o 

 o 



8. Straight lines, radiating at unequal distances from curved lines, possess no 

 original beauty (fig. 79. a); but straight lines, forming irregular tangents to 



curved lines, are beautiful (b) on the radiating principle. 



Coroll. — The lines of the basketwork enclosing the figures of parterres 

 composed of curved lines, should also be of curved lines" In ornamental 



